Lift jack assembly for campers and the like



R. S. STEELE AM 18, E67

LIFT JACK ASSEMBLY FOR CAMPERS AND THE LIKE INVENTOR. RICHARD S. STEELE BY 15 Sheets-$heet l Filed Dec.

ATTORNEY R. S. STEELE A ril 18, 1967 LIFT JACK ASSEMBLY FOR CAMPERS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1964 INVENTOR.

N. u N E R E T S 7 T 4' A s. X 0 Z m M 9 R B 3 5 .ll F 1 l 0V 3 R. S. STEELE A ril 18, 1%"? 3 Sheets5heet 5 Filed Dec. 28, 1964 mm 6 4 mm E 2 ulll E 3 ,r 1111 J V 0 l ms L 5 Q llll IIIL 9 5 1 6 D & 9 9.5 M I 6 M S H 8 M L m 8 I I \w I W R Y I W F u l B r m l l \\I 4 l l M 5 w 2 W w w O 4% w O J M: .Inkg 6 u I M w .1 n m B 7 a M 4 M 2 2 I I 9 43 3 ATTORNEY -the camper a distance less than United States Patent 3,314,655 LIFT JACK ASSEMBLY FOR CAMPERS AND THE LIKE Richard S. Steele, 1605 W. 6th Ave., Broornfield, Colo. 80020 Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,416 7 (Ilaims. (Cl. 254-92) This invention relates to novel and improved jack apparatus and telescoping jack members therefor, and additionally relates to a lift jack assembly of the type being comfortable for use in lifting campers, trailers or coaches directly from the ground to a truck bed in a reliable and highly effective manner.

Present day campers or portable houses are conventionally designed for installation on the bed of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. In this way, a camper may be taken off the truck bed for storage when not in use; then to mount the camper on the truck bed it is necessary to lift or raise the camper from the ground a sufficient height to allow the truck to be driven or backed up under the camper until the camper is properly positioned or placed thereon. customarily, campers are provided with raised, side supporting surfaces that are utilized as the lifting or support surfaces against which a series of lift jack devices may 'be placed for raising and lowering the camper, the supporting surfaces being raised sulficiently to permit their disposition in overhanging relation to the sides of the truck. At ground level the distance of the raised supporting surfaces above the ground is not sufficient to permit mounting of presently available camper jack assemblies in place for lifting the camper from the ground to the necessary height for placement on the truck, thus requiring secondary lifting devices which are used either separately or in combination with the lift jack assembly to raise the camper a limited distance off the ground. For instance, most campers have the side supporting surfaces approximately 24" above the ground and must be raised to approximately 58" to 60" off the ground so as to afford enough clearance for the truck; or in other words, the jack assembly must be capable of lifting the camper a distance more than twice and almost there times the spacing or vertical distance of the raised side portions above the ground, so that the jack must be capable of traversing a vertical lift distance over twice and almost three times its length if it is to effectively raise a camper from ground level without the use of secondary lifting devices. As stated, to avoid this problem in conventional jack assemblies in use, the camper is raised a limited distance off the ground by the secondary lift device so that the jack assembly is merely required to lift twice its collapsed or retracted length. As a result, the operation can :be somewhat tedious and time consuming and requires special support means or secondary lifting devices to support the campers in raised relation above the ground so that the jack assemblies may be initially set in place for lifting to the required level.

It is therefore highly desirable to eliminate the necessity for separate supporting means or secondary lift devicesby so designing and constructing the jack assembly that it is capable of raising the camper directly from the ground to the elevated position, and specifically is ca pable of raising the camper more than twice or almost three times the length of the retracted jack assembly while at the same time retaining the characteristic of being sturdy and rugged in use with high leverage and high mechanical advantage for ease of operation.

Conventionally, lift jack devices are used in sets of threes with two stationed along one side of the camper and one stationed on the opposite side so that when the camper is lifted the jack devices if operated by a single person must be alternately lifted and thus undergo a certain amount of tipping and tilting while still securely supporting the camper in place. Further the jack assembly must be capable of securely supporting the camper on uneven ground and to solidly brace the camper under high winds. Accordingly, the jack assembly of the present invention is thought to incorporate these advantages and characteristics through use of an improved telescoping lift section in combination with an improved bracket connection between the lift sections and camper as well as an improved form of tripod base, and specifically wherein the tripod incorporates a novel form of center column support for the jack which will bear the vertical weight of the camper and transmit it directly to the ground while removing most of the load from the tripod legs; and in general will provide a firm sturdy means of support for the entire structure.

Accordingly it is a principal and foremost object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved lift jack apparatus which is sturdy and dependable in use and will insure maximum safety at all times in lifting and supporting heavy loads; and further, to provide for a jack apparatus which is readily conformable for use either alone or in combination for the purpose of lifting portable houses, such as coaches, trailers, campers or like loads directly from the ground to the elevated height necessary for placement on a truck bed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a lift jack assembly capable of lifting and sustaining heavy, uneven loads through a distance over twice the retracted height of the jack assembly and wherein the jack assembly incorporates an improved, novel and efficient means of lifting which is characterized by possessing good leverage and mechanical advantage while at the same time will effect rapid lifting over an extended length of travel.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for an improved load bearing support portion between the lift jack and camper which will afford a broad, firm means of support while minimizing excessive strain and kinking of the sides of the camper and further will permit tilting and tipping of the camper through a wide angle while maintaining the necessary support when the camper is on uneven ground or is being raised or lowered by one person.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lift jack assembly for lifting a camper directly from the ground to truck bed level without the use of secondary lift devices while at the same time is not subject to excessive whip and bending; and further is conformable for use either with conventional bracket members, or novel forms of load bearing bracket members to be herein described, in lifting and supporting flat-sided or drop-sided campers.

It is a still further object to provide in a lift jack apparatus for an improved tripod assembly which offers a firm rugged support for uneven loads or when positioned on uneven ground, and in combination with the lift jack structure of the present invention will afford a secure but detachable means of connection for the lifting structure and absorb the full weight of the load through a novel center support design thereby minimizing loading and torsional strain on the tripod legs; and moreover wherein the tripod assembly is collapsible into a very small space permitting its storage with the entire assembly either in nested relation along the outside of the camper or may be detached and separately store-d within the camper.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred form of the present invention, when taken together with the accompany'mg drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of lift jack assembly illustrating the lift sections in retracted, telescoping relation and the tripod assembly in extended, supporting relation.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the lift jack assembly shown in FIGURE 1 with the control handle removed and the tripod assembly collapsed.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the lift jack assembly in retracted but supporting relation to a camper.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the lift jack section shown in the extended or raised position in relation to a camper and with the tripod assembly removed.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken about line 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3 and further illustrating a portion of the control arm in section.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view in detail of the baseplate for the tripod and lift jack sections.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the upper part of the lift section and bracket member for positioning the lift jack assembly in load bearing relation to a camper; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of a modified form of bracket member for a drop-sided camper body.

Refer-ring in detail to the drawings, and in particular to FIGURES 1 to 4, there is shown a preferred form of jack apparatus 10 which is designed for use in lifting and supporting campers, trailers and other wheelless coaches. Specifically, the jack apparatus may define one of a series of jack units in a lift jack assembly for lifting a camper body C of the type generally characterized by having raised overhanging sides or ledge portions L extending along opposite vertical sides S of the camper. The overhanging sides L afford a convenient means of lifting and supporting the camper for disposition on a truck bed and, in accordance with the present invention, each jack unit is dimensioned according to the vertical spacing of the overhanging sides above the bottom of the camper and according to the distance of lift necessary to raise the camper above the level of the truck bed. As hereinbefore pointed out, the required distance of lift is on the order of three times that of the spacing of the overhanging sides above the bottom or ground level of the camper so that to lift the camper from the ground without the use of secondary lifting devices, the lift jack unit must be capable of vertical extension through a distance approximating three times the vertical spacing of the overhanging sides of the camper above the ground. To this end, an important feature of the present invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the screw jack assembly 12 defining the lift section of the jack assembly, as well as the disposition and arrangement of the screw jack assembly in relation to a collapsible tripod assembly 13; and further, the cooperative disposition and relation between the screw jack assembly 12 and an upper load bearing bracket member 14.

Specifically referring to the screw jack assembly, it is comprised of a plurality of telescoping, elongated lift members consisting of an externally threaded stationary sleeve 16, an inner concentric, externally threaded jack screw 17 and an outer concentric, elongated collar 18 which is provided with a lower internally threaded end portion 20 engageable with the externally threaded sleeve 16 and an upper internally threaded end portion 21 engageable with the jack screw 17. In the preferred form it is important to note that the threading on the sleeve 16 and inner screw jack 17 are of opposite hand. Correspondingly, the lower threaded end portion 20 on the collar is defined by a heavy-duty nut forming an axial continuation of the collar and is internally threaded to correspond with the threading on the sleeve 16; similarly the end portion 21 is in the form of a heavy-duty nut whose threading corresponds with that on the inner jack screw 17 or in other words is of opposite hand to that of the nut 20. In addition, the external surface of the upper threaded end portion 21 is formed with a series of axially extending circumferentially spaced ratchet teeth 22 and a lower circumferentially extending shoulder 24 situated directly beneath the ratchet teeth. The upper threaded end portion 21 will accommodate a ratchet control arm 25 which in a manner to be described may be removably placed over the screw jack assembly into engagement with the ratchet teeth to elfect turning of the collar 18 in either direction of rotation. Assuming that the sleeve 16 is held in stationary relation and the inner jack screw 17 held against rotation, it will be seen that by rotating the collar 18 for example through the upper threaded end portion 21, the inner jack screw will be advanced axially of the collar by the upper threaded end 21 and simultaneously the collar will advance itself axially in the same direction as the inner jack screw through rotation of its lower threaded end 20 relative to the sleeve 16. Thus, in the retracted position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the inner jack screw 17 is normally disposed in inner concentric, telescoping relation within the sleeve whereas the collar 18 is disposed in outer concentric coextensive relation to the sleeve; and upon rotation in a counterclockwise direction the collar will advance itself upwardly along the external threaded surface of the sleeve 16. It will be evident that the sections may be retracted or returned to telescoping relation to one another simply by reversing the direction of rotation of the collar, but in either direction of rotation the distance of lift for each revolution is doubled on account of simultaneous advancement of the inner jack screw and collar relative to the sleeve 16 while permitting the sleeve to remain in stationary base supporting relation.

In the preferred form of invention, the screw jack assembly as defined by the lift sections is supported in upstanding relation by means of the collapsible tripod assembly 13 which broadly comprises a central tubular column or post 30 and a series of three collapsible tripod legs 32 spaced at equidistant intervals about the central column 30. Here the central column 30 is dimensioned of a length corresponding to that of the sleeve 16 and to provide an opening size sufficiently large to accommodate the screw jack assembly when in collapsed or retracted relation with the external shoulder 24 resting against the upper end of the collar. In construction, the column 30 is provided with a top annular flange 33 and a bottom baseplate 34 both permanently secured or fixed to opposite ends of the column, together with a series of three vertical leg supporting braces 36 extending between the upper ring or flange 33 and lower baseplate. A particular feature of the collapsible tripod assembly resides in the relationship between the legs and central column such that the lower baseplate will be disposed in horizontally aligned relationship with the lower terminal ends of the legs and in this way will transmit any vertical loads imposed upon the apparatus directly to the ground or floor surface upon which it rests as opposed to permitting such forces or loads to be transmitted through the legs. Accordingly, the baseplate 34 is dimensioned to be relatively broad and flat with an upwardly curving peripheral edge 38 provided with equally spaced slots 39 being aligned with the collapsible legs in order to permit their movement into collapsed relation alongside the central column in a manner to be described. Additionally, the baseplate is provided with a connecting end portion 40 for detachable connection of the telescoping lift sections within the column. Moreover, the sleeve 16 includes a directed, divergent spring elements 42 affixed to the center of the baseplate with a pair of openings 43 located just outwardly of two opposing arms. The spring arms 42, as best seen from FIGURE 3, are biased outwardly to frictionally engage the inner surface of the sleeve 16 when inserted through the column the sleeve and entire screw jack assembly symmetrically within the column. Moreover, the sleeve 16 includes a pair of downwardly directed opposing lugs 44 at its lower end for downward projection through the openings 43 so as to hold the sleeve against rotation.

Each of the collapsible tripod legs 32 are defined by angularly extending brace members 45, each member 45 having an upper bifurcated end 46 pivotally attached to an upper intermediate portion of each of the respective braces 36 by a pivot pin 48. In turn, the lower terminal ends of the legs are provided with circular baseplates or pads 50 which in the extended position of the legs will rest horizontally on a ground or floor supporting surface. To limit or control the angular disposition of the legs, inner and outer pivotal connecting links 52 and 53 are pivotally connected to the lower end of each vertical brace 36 and the lower end of each respective leg respectively in spaced relation above the base tripod. To permit collapsing of the legs, each pair of connecting links 52 and 53 is pivotally interconnected by a suitable rivet or pivot pin 55 so as to be movable between an extended position and a collapsed position with the link members folded upwardly and each leg 45 collapsing downwardly through the slots 39 on the baseplate 38, as shown in dotted form in FIGURE 3.

When the lift jack assembly is to be employed in lifting and supporting a camper, a plurality of brackets 14 may either be temporarily secured or permanently attached to the camper body in balanced, load bearing relation to the supporting surfaces L. In the preferred form, each bracket is permanently attached to the camper body and each screw jack unit is removably connected to a bracket so that the entire assembly in lifting the camper body will permit both sidewise tipping or longitudinal tilting of the and to guidingly support camper without imposing undue strain on the connections between the brackets and screw jack units. For this purpose, and as best seen from FIGURES 3, 4 and 7, each bracket is of generally L-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a vertical flange portion 56 provided with spaced connecting holes 57 and upwardly convergent sides 58 terminating in a socket 60; and a fiat, inwardly directed horizontal flange 62 is provided with connecting holes 63 and downwardly directed reinforcing side members 64 forming lower continuations of the convergent sides 58 of the vertical flange portion 56. The connecting holes 57 and 63 are sized for insertion of connecting bolts or screws 65 to enable permanent attachment into bolt receiving openings in the side S and supporting surface of the camper with the upper flat surface of the horizontal flange 62 abutting the supporting surface.

In order to establish removable connection between each screw jack unit and a respective bracket in spaced relation above the supporting surface L, the upper terminal end of each inner jack screw 17 is provided with a swiveltype connecting member 70 having a socket end portion 72 of inverted, generally U-shaped configuration which is pivotally secured upon the upper terminal end of the jack screw by means of a connecting pin 73 extending between the sides of the socket portion through a transverse bore 74 at the upper terminal end of the jack screw, as most clearly shown in FIGURE 7. The outer free cylindrical end 75 of the connecting head 70 opposite the socket portion is sized for insertion through the socket 60 at the upper end of the flange nular groove 76 to permit insertion of a lock screw 77 through the upper wall of the socket into the groove thereby preventing release of the connecting end 75 from the boss while permitting relative rotation between the connecting end 75 and the bracket in perpendicular relation to the plane of movement of the connecting head about the jack screw. In addition, suflicient clearance is provided between the socket end portion 72 and upper end of the jack screw 17 to permit free upward and downward angular tilting or pivotal movement of the connecting end 56 and is provided with an ansided camper, is formed with 75 and attached bracket about the pivot pin 73 in a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis of the jack screw; and further when the connecting member 70 is detached from the bracket will be freely movable into vertical, coaxially extending relation to the jack screw 17 to enable placement of the ratchet control arm 25 over the upper end of the jack screw.

The ratchet control handle 25 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 6 and preferably includes an elongated arm portion 80 increasing in thickness and terminating in a circular end 81, the latter being made up of a pair of curved end portions 82 and which together form a central opening 83 sized for insertion of the member 21. To releasably engage the ratchet teeth, the forward end of the ratchet arm is provided with a counterbored portion 84 communicating at one end with the opening 83 and terminating at its opposite end in a reduced bore 85 adjacent to a recessed portion 86 in the ratchet arm. A stem 87 is inserted through the bore 85 with an enlarged end portion 88 having a pawl 89 at one end of the stern within the counterbore 84 and being biased forwardly through the counterbored portion 84 by a spring 90 into positive locking engagement with an aligned groove between a pair of ratchet teeth 22 on the control collar. To release the pawl 89 a control button 92 is disposed at the opposite end of the stem in the recessed portion 86 which upon retraction will be effective to withdraw the pawl away from engagement with the ratchet teeth against the urging of the spring. In this way, the ratchet arm may be successively advanced through less than a full turn or revolution in extending or retracting the telescoping lift sections; and at the end of each turn by releasing the pawl can be returned to the starting point without removal from the threaded end portion 21. At the same time, the ratchet arm affords improved leverage, as well as direct engagement with the control collar in lifting and lowering the screw jack assembly.

, In accordance with conventional practice, most desirably a set of three or more lift jack units are utilized in combination for lifting and supporting a camper for disposition on a truck bed; for instance, in utilizing a combination of three units two may be positioned in spaced relation along one side of the camper and a third positioned on the other side in opposed facing relation to the first two units and balanced intermediately therebetween in order to uniformly support the load. Customarily, the bracket members 14 are permanently attached to the camper as described and by virtue of the novel construction and arrangement of each lift jack unit they may either be stored in collapsed relation inside the camper or conveniently stored along the outside of the camper with the connecting head 70 remaining in attached relation to the bracket. Alternately, the telescoping lift members may be removed from the tripod assemblies and stored in attached relation to the bracket with the tripod assembly being stored inside the camper, this being conveniently efiected by virtue of the spring-type releasable connectors 40 on the base plate of the tripod assembly. If desired, however, each screw jack assembly may be permanently attached within the tripod assembly and accordingly the spring-type connector 40 represented is merely illustrative of various types of releasable or more permanent types of connectors that may be utilized.

The preferred form of load bearing bracket member 14 as described is specifically designed for use in campers provided with fiat supporting surfaces L, for example, as represented in FIGURE 3. Another type of commercially available camper, customarily referred to as a dropoffset or drop-sided portions along opposite sides for a limited distance beneath the ledges or supporting surfaces L. A portion of a dropsided camper is represented in FIGURE 9 wherein it will be noted that camper C is again provided with a ledge surface L on each side and a vertical offset portion S forming a downward continuation of the side S below the ledge surface L'. In accordance with the present invention, a modified load bearing bracket member 14 has been devised which again incorporates a vertical flange portion 56' constructed in the same manner as the vertical flange 56 shown in FIGURES 4 and 8 with spaced connecting holes 57' for insertion of bolt members 65, and upwardly convergent sides 58' terminating in an upper socket portion 60' for reception of the swivel head 70. Since the drop-side portion S prevents use of a flat continuous flange portion, such as, the flange portion 62 in the bracket member 14, and also since the drop-side may vary in width and depth, a separate support member 94 in the form of an angle iron is provided for disposition in the corner or intersection between the ledge and the inner surface of the portion S opposite the vertical flange portion 57'. The support member 94 includes a horizontal flange 95 secured against the ledge L by bolt members 96, and a vertical flange portion 97 having openings 98 aligned with the connecting holes 57' so as to permit inward projection of the connecting bolts 65 for direct interconnection between the vertical flange portion 56 and support member 94. Since the support member 94 is separately installed, the bracket assembly may be supplied in a single size for use on drop-sided portions of varying widths and yet will enable direct connection to the camper through the side and ledge portions. Of course, the placement of the connecting holes 57' may vary in accordance with the vertical extension of the drop-sided portion beneath the ledge portion L, and accordingly a series of connecting holes 57' may be provided in vertically spaced relation along the flange 56, depending upon the size and relationship of the drop side portion S to the ledge. Again it will be noted that the upper socket portion 60 is disposed in spaced relation above the level of the ledge portion,

. again the distance of spacing being dictated by the distance necessary to permit connection of the jack assembly or unit at ground level.

The bracket members 14 and 14 are specifically designed for use with heavyweight campers to establish a broad supporting area. It will be apparent however that the vertical flange portions 57' as illustrated in FIGURE 9 may be used without the separate support member 94 for lifting and supporting lightweight campers either of the flat or drop-sided type. The advantage in utilizing a horizontal supporting surface such as the horizontal flange 62 or support member 94 is to establish a broader area of support along the ledge portions.

In practice, when the camper is to be lifted from the ground level and assuming that the jack units are stored outside the camper in attached relation to the brackets 14 or 14, each jack unit is released from the side of the camper and rotated downwardly about the bracket. The tripod legs are unfolded from the relationship shown in FIGURE 2 to that shown in FIGURE 1. In the retracted position, the ratchet arm 25 is slipped alternately over the upper connecting head 70 of each jack unit in turn into engagement with the ratchet teeth 22 to advance the jack screw 17 and control collar upwardly so as to lift the camper through the required distance for disposition on the truck bed. Again, in lifting and in supporting the camper, any vertical loading is absorbed directly through the vertical column on the tripod assembly, whereas any lateral components of force are effectively absorbed and transmitted to the ground through the tripod legs. Furthermore, the swivel type connection between the bracket members 14 and jack screws 17 will allow the necessary tilting or tipping without imparting undue stress or strain on the screw jack assembly, for example, when the camper is resting on uneven ground or when being raised or lowered by one person. Here it will be evident that the form of swivel connection between each jack screw and bracket may be altered to employ various types of commercially available, swivel or universal type connections and joints, the important relationship being the connection of the jack Screw t9 the bracket in spaced relation above the supporting surface L so that the screw jack assembly will be of suflicient length to lift the camper from two to three times the spacing of the supporting surface above ground level Without the use of secondary lifting devices.

In general, the lift jack assembly of the present invention is extremely rugged and durable in use and is readily conformable for use either singly or in combination in a number of applications, while being of particular utility in lifting and supporting large coach or camper bodies as described. Accordingly, while there has been illustrated and described a preferred form of construction .and arrangement of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made in the exact construction, combination and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims and reasonable equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A lift unit comprising a plurality of telescoping lift screw members being concentrically arranged for inwardly and outwardly extending axial movement in relation to one another including a stationary base supporting lift member, a rotatable load engaging lift member movable into lift supporting relation with a load to be lifted, and a rotatable lift member provided with actuating means at opposite ends thereof registering with each of said respective base supporting and load engaging lift members, said load engaging lift member being rotatable independently of said base supporting lift member and said rotatable lift member, and said rotatable lift member being rotatable to displace said load engaging lift member inwardly and outwardly with respect to said base supporting lift member and said rotatable lift member while simultaneously displacing itself inwardly and outwardly in the same direction as said load engaging lift member with respect to said base supporting lift member, said load-engaging lift member having a load bearing bracket end portion connected in swivelled relation to the upper end of said load-engaging lift member, said bracket end portion including a supporting end surface disposed in spaced relation beneath the upper end of said load-engaging lift member, and a mobile base frame having a tubular column and a plurality of angular, downwardly depending collapsible legs, said tubular column and said legs terminating in a. horizontally aligned, ground-supported base portion to support said telescoping lift members in upstanding relation for upward and downward movement of said load-engaging lift member and said rotatable lift member with respect to said base supporting lift member.

2. In a lift jack assembly for lifting a camper body and the like characterized by having vertical side walls and raised lift supporting surfaces in vertical spaced relation above the bottom surface of the camper body, the combination comprising a plurality of vertically displaceable lift units each having lift members being displaceable from a retracted position to an extended position more than twice the length of said lift unit in the retracted position, and load bearing means at the upper end of each of said lift units including means attaching each of said load bearing means to the camper body and said load bearing means each having a vertical supporting member connecting the upper end of each lift unit to a vertical sidewall in spaced relation above the lift supporting surfaces on the camper, and a relatively flat horizontal support member disposed in load supporting relation to a lift supporting surface on the camper and in connected relation to the vertical supporting member for each respective load bearing means.

3. In a lift jack assembly for a camper body and the like characterized by having vertical sides terminating in lower drop-sided portions and inwardly spaced, horizontal lift supporting surfaces, the combination of a series of load bearing members each having an outer vertical support portion disposed along a vertical side of the camper and against the outside of the drop-sided portion, said vertical support portion including an upper jack engaging end disposed above the horizontal support ing surface on the camper body, and a horizontal support portion disposed along the horizontal supporting surface against the inner surface of the drop-sided portion in aligned relation opposite said outer vertical support portion, and connecting means extending through the thickness of the drop-sided portion for interconnecting each of said vertical and horizontal support portions.

4. A lift jack assembly for lifting and supporting a camper body and the like a predetermined distance above the ground in which the camper body is characterized by having lift supporting surfaces in vertical spaced relation above the bottom surface of the camper body along opposite sides thereof, said lift jack assembly comprising a plurality of lift units each having telescoping lift means being displaceable from a retracted position to an extended position through a vertical distance greater than twice the length of each respective lift unit in the retracted position, and load supporting means on each of said lift means being secured in swivelled relation to the camper for lifting said camper in response to each of said lift means to the extended position, each load supporting means having a horizontal portion in spaced relation beneath the upper extremity of each of said lift means being engageable with a lift supporting surface on the camper body, said lift units being arranged in spaced load balancing relation on opposite sides of the camper body.

5. A lift jack unit according to claim 1, the upper end of said rotatable lift member being provided with outer peripheral ratchet teeth, and a releasable ratchet control arm having curved end portions at one end defining a central opening sized for close-fitting insertion of said ratchet teeth therein, said curved end portions terminating in closely spaced relation for disposition over teeth and circumscribmg over one half the outer peripheral surface of said ratchet teeth, and a releasable pawl projecting laterally into the opening from the end of said arm to selectively turn said collar in either direction of rotation.

6. A lift jack assembly for lifting and lowering a jack assembly comprising a plurality of lift jack units arranged in load balancing relation to the camper body, each unit having a tripod support including a vertical housing disposed in ground-supported relation and a plurality of telescoping lift members being secured in upstanding, inner concentric relation within said housing for displacement from a retracted position within said housing to an extended position more than twice the length of said lift unit in the retracted position, load supporting means being disposed in swivelled relation at the upper extremity of each of said lift members and each load supporting means having a horizontal portion in spaced relation beneath the upper extremity of each of said lift members engaging a lift supporting surface on the camper body.

7. A lift jack unit for lifting and lowering a load between a position at rest on the ground and a predetermined distance above the ground in which said load is characterized by having a lift-engaging surface in spaced relation above the bottom of the load comprising a tripod support including a vertical housing diposed in groundsupported relation, a plurality of telescoping lift members being secured in upstanding, inner concentric re lation within said housing for displacement from a retracted position within said i retracted position, load supporting means being disposed in swivelled relation at the upper extremity of said lift members and said load supporting means having a horizontally extending load engaging portion in spaced relation beneath the upper extremity of said lift member, said load-engaging portion being engageable with said lift engaging surface on a load to be lifted.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Examiner. 

1. A LIFT UNIT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF TELESCOPING LIFT SCREW MEMBERS BEING CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED FOR INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING AXIAL MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER INCLUDING A STATIONARY BASE SUPPORTING LIFT MEMBER, A ROTATABLE LOAD ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER MOVABLE INTO LIFT SUPPORTING RELATION WITH A LOAD TO BE LIFTED, AND A ROTATABLE LIFT MEMBER PROVIDED WITH ACTUATING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF REGISTERING WITH EACH OF SAID RESPECTIVE BASE SUPPORTING AND LOAD ENGAGING LIFT MEMBERS, SAID LOAD ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER BEING ROTATABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID BASE SUPPORTING LIFT MEMBER AND SAID ROTATABLE LIFT MEMBER, AND SAID ROTATABLE LIFT MEMBER BEING ROTATABLE TO DISPLACE SAID LOAD ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE SUPPORTING LIFT MEMBER AND SAID ROTATABLE LIFT MEMBER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPLACING ITSELF INWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID LOAD ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE SUPPORTING LIFT MEMBER, SAID LOAD-ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER HAVING A LOAD BEARING BRACKET END PORTION CONNECTED IN SWIVELLED RELATION TO THE UPPER END OF SAID LOAD-ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER, SAID BRACKET END PORTION INCLUDING A SUPPORTING END SURFACE DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION BENEATH THE UPPER END OF SAID LOAD-ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER, AND A MOBILE BASE FRAME HAVING A TUBULAR COLUMN AND A PLURALITY OF ANGULAR, DOWN WARDLY DEPENDING COLLAPSIBLE LEGS, SAID TUBULAR COLUMN AND SAID LEGS TERMINATING IN A HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED, GROUND-SUPPORTED BASE PORTION TO SUPPORT SAID TELESCOPING LIFT MEMBERS IN UPSTANDING RELTION FOR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID LOAD-ENGAGING LIFT MEMBER AND SAID ROTATABLE LIFT MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE SUPPORTING LIFT MEMBER. 